US Fed report shows rate hikes will continue to lower high inflation

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - The US Federal Reserve said in a report Friday that interest rate increases will continue in order to lower high inflation.

Although the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) slowed rate hikes at December and January meetings to 50 basis points and 25 basis points, respectively, the FOMC indicated "it anticipates ongoing increases in the target range will be appropriate" to return inflation to 2%, said the semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the US Congress.

In its toughest monetary tightening in decades, which included four consecutive rate increases of 75 basis points, the US central bank made a total of 425-point rate hikes on seven occasions last year to fight record-high inflation that climbed to its highest level in over 40 years by mid-2022.

However, Fed's preferred inflation indicator, the core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, rose 4.7% annually in January, up from a 4.6% year-on-year gain in December, and coming higher than the market estimate of a 4.3% increase. On a monthly basis, the core PCE price index rose 0.6% in January, up from a 0.4% monthly gain in December, and higher than the market estimate of a 0.4% increase.

Fed said in the report it is "acutely aware that high inflation imposes significant hardship, especially on those least able to meet the higher costs of essentials."

Chair Jerome Powell will make his semiannual testimony before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday and the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday about the central bank's monetary policy.